Posted by Betsy Closs
CHAI Works offers a wide range of vocational skill building, educational, and fitness opportunities throughout the week, including a spirituality class run by Sandy Slavet. Sandy is a long time JF&CS employee who runs our Disabilities Resource Network and leads many of our Jewish Life programs. Her spirituality class participants recently created the poem below for Thanksgiving.
We are thankful that our participants continue to gain skills, a sense of accomplishment, and growing self confidence. It's wonderful to be able to share their accomplishments with you.
Giving Thanks
My fingers are thankful for:
- my Ipad
- sheep
- my cat
- feathers
- warm sand between my toes
My nose is thankful for:
- tulips
- vanilla
- bananas
- bread while it's baking
- rain
- salt water
My tongue is thankful for:
- ice cream
- chocolate
- raisinettes
- Spaghettios and soup
My ears are thankful for:
- music
- my radio
- rain on the roof
- listening to the ocean
- Jamin' 94.5
- laughter
My eyes are thankful for:
- snow
- glasses to help us see
- magazines
- the leaves that change color in the fall
- mountains
- boats and trains
- still and peaceful water
I am thankful for my fingers, my nose, my tongue, my ears, my eyes…myself and the world that I live in.
Betsy Closs is the director for Services for People with Disabilities at Jewish Family & Children's Service. She has worked in the field of disabilities for more than twenty years, in both day and residential services as well as quality improvement. She was the director of the MA Governor's Commission on Mental Retardation before joining the staff at JF&CS in 2002. Betsy has degrees from Vassar and Harvard in addition to her social work degree from Simmons. She has two young adult children, a son who is pursuing a MA in education and a daughter who is a junior in college.
